Publication yesterday of the July Billet d’Etat effectively starts the countdown to next April’s general election of people’s deputies, which will be held on the 18th.

As in the past, that is a Wednesday. Quite why seems unclear but what is definite is that Saturdays are out.

The States Assembly and Constitution Committee did consider having the ballot at the weekend in case that was an easier day for the organisers and voters, because trying to boost turnout is a States objective.

Most of the douzaines, however, preferred to keep to the traditional Wednesday and so that was that.

The committee’s report on the matter somewhat oddly says that research in other jurisdictions indicated the pros and cons of weekday as opposed to weekend elections were broadly in balance. What is doesn’t say is what jurisdictions it looked at and why it didn’t pose the question locally.

A weekday versus a Saturday probably does not make a lot of difference to most island voters but, from the scant information in the Billet, that is merely an assumption.

Given the serious need to engage voters at a younger age and to encourage those who will be aged 16 next April, a Saturday ballot might be a serious assistance to them. Equally, there might be a significant number of older or less mobile islanders who would find it easier to get a lift or help from family or friends at the weekend.

It may be that the efforts of the douzaines are so vital that their majority desire not to change the day is the end of the matter. If so, the committee should have said so. People readily understand and respect the involvement of the parishes and the tireless and voluntary help they make available to facilitate the election process.

But having introduced the concept of voter choice of day, the committee then fails to set out what it has done to solicit that.

It rather looks like an opportunity missed but, as the States Assembly and Constitution Committee demonstrated over island-wide voting, it has a habit of releasing threadbare reports.